BuzzFeed and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change.

17 American Foods That Non-Americans Really, Really, Really, REALLY Want To Try

Dannica Ramirez
·3-min read

You can say a lot of things about the United States (as an American, trust me, I know), but one thing people can't deny is that the food scene here is diverse, indulgent, and utterly intriguing. Recently, we asked non-Americans of the BuzzFeed Community to share with us the American food they desperately want to try if they visit the US, and I'm never taking beef jerky for granted again:

1."I want to try the seafood boils. We do them here in New Zealand, but our crabs are so tiny. I want to try the giant crab legs."

A tray with a seafood boil, featuring crabs, corn, potatoes, and sausage, celebrating a four-year wedding anniversary
A tray with a seafood boil, featuring crabs, corn, potatoes, and sausage, celebrating a four-year wedding anniversary

—clairepn87

2."Candy corn."

Bag of candy corn held in a hand, with a Reddit post caption: "I love candy corn, you can fight me in the comments."
Bag of candy corn held in a hand, with a Reddit post caption: "I love candy corn, you can fight me in the comments."

—mariellaacardoso

3."Pumpkin pie. It sounds so weird, but I'm super curious."

A homemade pumpkin pie in a fluted crust on a kitchen counter, freshly baked and ready to serve
A homemade pumpkin pie in a fluted crust on a kitchen counter, freshly baked and ready to serve

—the_tyger

ADVERTISEMENT

4."Soul food — the classic southern, old-fashioned family-style recipes paired with sweet iced tea. Give me rice and beans, okra, gumbo, fried chicken, and green beans! My little Polynesian heart would be so happy."

A plate of soul food with collard greens, fried catfish, chicken, yams, beef short ribs, mac and cheese, green beans, dumplings, and gizzards
A plate of soul food with collard greens, fried catfish, chicken, yams, beef short ribs, mac and cheese, green beans, dumplings, and gizzards

—tiiarexox

5."Ranch sauce! The UK does not do it the same way."

Five cups of ranch dressing are placed on a counter, with cardboard boxes in the background
Five cups of ranch dressing are placed on a counter, with cardboard boxes in the background

—claireo4f1a2eac4

6."I'd love to try In-N-Out burgers."

A hand holds a large, multi-layered burger with various toppings outside on a patio, with a napkin on the table in the background
A hand holds a large, multi-layered burger with various toppings outside on a patio, with a napkin on the table in the background

—frenkiedebong

7."As someone from the Netherlands, I'd like to try buttermilk pancakes with sweet toppings from a diner and anything from Cracker Barrel."

Fluffy buttermilk pancakes topped with blueberry compote, powdered sugar, and a scoop of brown sugar butter on a plate
Fluffy buttermilk pancakes topped with blueberry compote, powdered sugar, and a scoop of brown sugar butter on a plate

—joanne_b

👋 Hungry for more? Download the free Tasty app, where you can access 7,500+ recipes and save your faves for later.

A smartphone screen displaying the Tasty app, featuring a "Dumpling Salad" recipe. Text invites users to download the app for recipes and tips
A smartphone screen displaying the Tasty app, featuring a "Dumpling Salad" recipe. Text invites users to download the app for recipes and tips

8."Literally any fast food we don't have in Australia. And I'd maybe snag a Crumbl cookie. I've had the mini versions, but I'd love to go over there and have a fresh big one! Even if the fast food in America that's supposed to be really good is a bit of a letdown, I honestly wouldn't care — I'll just be glad I tried it."

Open box with assorted cookies, including chocolate chip and frosted varieties, seen against a background of a Reddit webpage discussion
Open box with assorted cookies, including chocolate chip and frosted varieties, seen against a background of a Reddit webpage discussion

—miss_snowleopard

ADVERTISEMENT

9."Potato pancakes."

Plate of hash brown topped with a fried egg, next to hot sauce bottles on a table
Plate of hash brown topped with a fried egg, next to hot sauce bottles on a table

—shyhawk462

10."JERKY! Where I live, it's not really a thing, and the locally made jerky is very hard to find and VERY expensive."

Homemade beef jerky on a metal rack, highlighted in a Reddit post with user comments and engagement details. Caption mentions first-time making
Homemade beef jerky on a metal rack, highlighted in a Reddit post with user comments and engagement details. Caption mentions first-time making

—orenlevko1

11."All the fried fair foods, fried chicken, and all the wild milkshake and ice cream flavors that are loaded with candy and cotton candy. Basically, I want to try all the sweets."

Milkshake with whipped cream, cookies, and caramel in a tall mason jar from The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar, Baltimore
Milkshake with whipped cream, cookies, and caramel in a tall mason jar from The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar, Baltimore

—acidicoctopus86

12."Grits. I feel like it would be gross, but we don't have that in Australia."

A pot of grits cooking on a stove with a spoon holding some grits above the pot. Reddit post discussing availability of good grits in Atlanta
A pot of grits cooking on a stove with a spoon holding some grits above the pot. Reddit post discussing availability of good grits in Atlanta

—sspinnington2016

13."Barbecue. I hear Americans rave and argue about the best barbecue places."

BBQ platter with ribs, brisket, beans, coleslaw, and green beans on a tray at a table
BBQ platter with ribs, brisket, beans, coleslaw, and green beans on a tray at a table

—wickedarcher23

14."Philly cheesesteaks, all the regional BBQs, New York pizza, and beignets from New Orleans."

Person holding a slice of New York-style pizza on a busy sidewalk, with bicycles and pedestrians in the background. Reddit post discussing the pizza
Person holding a slice of New York-style pizza on a busy sidewalk, with bicycles and pedestrians in the background. Reddit post discussing the pizza

—alexandrab407431b97

15."Sloppy Joe burgers and a variety of chocolate bars!"

Two sesame seed hamburger buns with a generous serving of sloppy Joe filling on a white plate
Two sesame seed hamburger buns with a generous serving of sloppy Joe filling on a white plate

—ilyazakomoldin

16."Lobster rolls, clam chowder, Maryland crabcakes, key lime pie, and deep dish pizza."

Lobster roll on a tray, served with toppings and a side lemon wedge, viewed in a casual dining setting
Lobster roll on a tray, served with toppings and a side lemon wedge, viewed in a casual dining setting

—tedwhinger

ADVERTISEMENT

17.Last but not least: "A Thanksgiving dinner."

A bowl of Thanksgiving food, including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, and a bread roll
A bowl of Thanksgiving food, including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, and a bread roll

—deedee000

BRB, going to Crumbl as we speak! If you're not an American, what food do you want to try if you ever visit the States? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your cravings using this form!

Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Latest stories